So far we've had three Umbro Industries finals, held in Autumn 2009, Winter 2010 and Spring 2010.
Autumn Umbro Industries
In the inaugral Umbro Industries, Mind On Fire and Same Teens were announced as the joint winners, both receiving £5,000 of funding to help support their ongoing projects and to develop new ideas. Mind On Fire are using their money to fund a series of limited edition vinyl single releases, the first of which will appear in September 2010. The singles will feature an established international artist on one side, and an upcoming Manchester act on the other. Some of the money will also be used to refresh their website.
Same Teens, a collective of young creatives in Manchester, have been using their £5,000 to print their fanzine for a whole year. The first issue has already been made and distributed around the world, with a second issue due soon. In the meantime, Same Teens have been busy hosting a bunch of gigs, club nights and festival appearances, all over the UK and beyond.
Winter Umbro Industries
For the Winter Umbro Industries, the money was shared again - this time between Upper Space Gallery and Fink On Theatre. Upper Space will use the £7,200 awarded to them to re-open their Northern Quarter gallery, which showcases the best street art and graffiti from Manchester and around the world. Later this year, Upper Space will reopen its doors at a brand new location in Manchester.
The £3,500 awarded to Fink On theatre was used to fund an extremely successful stage play performed at Contact Theatre. Crying In The Chapel tells the story of the Strangeways Prison riots, and was performed to great success at Contact twenty years after the events that inspired it.
Spring Umbro Industries
Traditionally a time of new beginnings, Spring found Umbro Industries helping two fresh ideas get off the ground in Manchester. £7,500 was awarded to the Rocksteady Tea Party, a celebration of the city's links with reggae, roots and dancehall music. Later this year, a film exploring the history of rocksteady in the north west will be screened alongside a party featuring drinks, dance lessons - and some great music!
The remaining £2,500 was awarded to The New Mancunian, a project aimed at supporting the best new bands from Manchester and the north west. The money will go towards a website that will feature the bands performing their songs and talking about their music, giving them the perfect platform to get noticed.
We're currently open for applicants to the Summer Umbro Industries scheme - if you think your ideas are what we're looking for, get them uploaded and you could be joining these guys as winners of up to £10,000!